Stylish And Exciting Sports Sedan
Written: Mar 03 '04
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Pros: Sporty, Available 5-spd Manual V6, Powerful, Quiet, Fun, Large Cockpit, Lower$ Than Accord/Camry
Cons: No Rear Headrests (Sedan), Integrated Center Console, Throttle Lag, Brake Dust, Crowded Engine Bay
The Bottom Line: Look different and still have an excellent sedan! This vehicle suits someone with kids that still wants a sporty look and wants to keep the car for a long time.
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| rustybawl's Full Review: 2004 Mazda Mazda6 |
Mazda designers are taking huge strides in the right direction in regards to the styling of their vehicles. I was always indifferent to Mazda vehicles, the 626 was rather bland, the Millenia was nice but overpriced, and the Protege was nice for a compact. When Mazda released the Protege5, things started looking different. I think the Protege5 is underrated due to it's small size, but Mazda followed with some other great releases: the Mazda6 is available as a sedan and very soon will also be available in the US as a hatch and a wagon; the Mazda3 replaces the Protege looking very appealing, a cousin of the 6; the RX-8 appeases the rotary lovers... maybe a bit less power than expected but very sharp looking.
I've had my 2004 Mazda6 sedan now for 5 months and I have no regrets. Complaints are few and/or exclusive to my interests:
- (Moderate) No headrests on the rear seats. Granted, it's nice not to have them in the way when looking via the rear view mirror, but I don't understand why they aren't included when they are present on the Camry and Accord. It would simply be a matter of taking them out and stowing them when they were not in use. Headrests are not an issue if you transport kids, but for adults on long rides or in an accident... would be nice. Apparently the Hatch and Wagon models being released mid-2004 will have such headrests; hopefully future sedan versions will as well.
- (Moderate, V6 only) If you have the four-cylinder version, the engine bay is well organized with plenty of room. However if you have the V6, they have crammed a lot of components into the available space... oil changes are not difficult, but if you like to perform simple maintenance and replacements yourself, you'll be working in very tight spaces.
- (Minor to most, Major to me) The center console has integrated the environmental controls to fluidly share space with the stereo controls - this is a good thing and looks very nice... unless you want to add an aftermarket stereo, in which case it is a nightmare; there is no standard DIN slot, and removing the existing stereo unit causes the environmental/clock display not to function. Usually companies like Scosche and Metra will create a "dash kit" to replace the existing panel but this one has proven to be unusually complicated and neither of those companies are yet willing to tackle it, a HUGE frustration for some of us.
- (Minor) Get used to a slight throttle lag with this vehicle, it's something you'll get used to. On the other hand, if you're looking to race people on the streets with this car regularly, it could be a disadvantage.
- (Minor) The factory front disc brakes and pads create an incredible amount of brake dust, you will be surprised how fast it builds up... now knowing this I'm sure that eventually pads will be available which will create less dust.
The positives far outweigh the negatives:
- Sporty: with minimal options this car would look similar to a Camry (blah). With options such as the Sport Package, Sport Grille, and Chrome Appearance Package, it looks very sleek and will turn heads
- Available 5speed Manual V6: Appealing to many is that you can get a mid-sized 4door sedan, but still get a nicely sized V6 engine with a manual transmission. You cannot get this combination from Nissan, Honda, or Toyota. In fact, Mazda underestimated how popular this combination would be in the inaugural 2003 year.
- Powerful: The four-cylinder is as expected, not as big as the one available for the Accord but amply powered. The V6 is a 3.0 liter 220hp version, more powerful than the Camry equivalent but not quite as much so as the Accord (3.0 240hp) or the Altima (3.5 ??hp, but requires premium fuel). This engine is a huge improvement over the 2.5 liter V6 that was the best available in the Millenia.
- Quiet: The four-cylinder engine is a little bit noisy, but not like your average compact car. All versions are very quiet on road noise, and the V6 engine is very quiet. However, I'm suspecting the Camry and Accord are probably a wee bit quieter on both fronts.
- Fun: Besides having a manual V6 version, even the automatic can be fun, with a 5-speed sportronic/tiptronic automatic transmission
- Large Cockpit: If you are near 6 feet tall or taller, the optional power seat will give you a ton of legroom. Additionally, the steering wheel not only moves up/down, it also telescopes toward/away from you, useful if you are decide to utilize all of that legroom.
- Lower Price: A similarly equipped Accord/Camry will cost you $1000-$2000 more in most cases.
One of the best things about this car right now is that you don’t drive 15 minutes down the road and during that period see five cars exactly like the one you are driving. Unfortunately for me but fortunately for Mazda, when consumers learn how great this car is, I may have to deal with that scenario someday.
Find endless information on this vehicle as stated by owners themselves, on the forums at mazda6club . com
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 25.9K w/tax
Condition: New
Model Year: 2004
Model and Options: 6s, Gray/Gray - AT2, 1LX, 1SE, 3RA, MR1, AB6, SSU, SPG, MND, WLK
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Epinions.com ID:
rustybawl
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Reviews written: 1
Trusted by: 0 members
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